Økoengineer – A Web-Based Game Platform for Guided Discovery-Based Sustainability Learning in Engineering Curricula

TY - GEN

T1 - Økoengineer – A Web-Based Game Platform for Guided Discovery-Based Sustainability Learning in Engineering Curricula

AU - Abu-Ghaida, Haitham

AU - Leka, Serena

AU - Kunrath, Kamila

AU - Thostrup, Rune

AU - Ramanujan, Devarajan

PY - 2021/11/17

Y1 - 2021/11/17

N2 - A growing body of academic research and educational institutions are recognizing the need to incorporate sustainability learning into fundamental engineering courses. Furthermore, the recent COVID-19 global pandemic has created a sudden need to augment traditional lecture-based teaching with effective web-based learning platforms. In light of these challenges the engineering education community needs to place a greater focus on designing and testing interactive, information technologybased tools for sustainability learning. To this end, our paper presents the design and implementation of Okoengineer: a web-based game platform that supports guided discoverybased learning of sustainability concepts in engineering curricula. Okoengineer is designed to familiarize engineering students with sustainability concepts and provide them with an understanding of how sustainability can be considered in the engineering design process. Therefore, Okoengineer hosts a collection of open-ended design tasks in multiple engineering disciplines. Students can solve these tasks iteratively and receive guidance through a combination of pre-recorded lectures on sustainability concepts and discussions with domain experts. Okoengineer also aims to increase students' learning outcomes through the use of gamified elements, including high-score leaderboards, formative feedback & peer discussions, and rewarding achievements through virtual collectible badges. The Okoengineer platform is architected for scalability and allows course instructors to easily add new learning materials and design tasks.

AB - A growing body of academic research and educational institutions are recognizing the need to incorporate sustainability learning into fundamental engineering courses. Furthermore, the recent COVID-19 global pandemic has created a sudden need to augment traditional lecture-based teaching with effective web-based learning platforms. In light of these challenges the engineering education community needs to place a greater focus on designing and testing interactive, information technologybased tools for sustainability learning. To this end, our paper presents the design and implementation of Okoengineer: a web-based game platform that supports guided discoverybased learning of sustainability concepts in engineering curricula. Okoengineer is designed to familiarize engineering students with sustainability concepts and provide them with an understanding of how sustainability can be considered in the engineering design process. Therefore, Okoengineer hosts a collection of open-ended design tasks in multiple engineering disciplines. Students can solve these tasks iteratively and receive guidance through a combination of pre-recorded lectures on sustainability concepts and discussions with domain experts. Okoengineer also aims to increase students' learning outcomes through the use of gamified elements, including high-score leaderboards, formative feedback & peer discussions, and rewarding achievements through virtual collectible badges. The Okoengineer platform is architected for scalability and allows course instructors to easily add new learning materials and design tasks.

KW - Engineering Education

KW - Sustainability

KW - practice-based learning

KW - competence development

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85120399357&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1115/DETC2021-69406

DO - 10.1115/DETC2021-69406

M3 - Article in proceedings

VL - 4

BT - 18th International Conference on Design Education (DEC)

PB - American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME)

T2 - ASME 2021 International Design Engineering Technical Conferences and Computers and Information in Engineering Conference

Y2 - 17 August 2021 through 19 August 2021

ER -